The Gambia crushed out of the AWCON Qualifiers by Nigeria’s after the African Champions took the final qualification spot for the forthcoming 2018 Total Africa Women Cup of Nations (AWCON) after a comprehensive 6-0 battering of Gambia’s Women’s Scorpions in the return leg on Monday at the Agege Stadium in Lagos and went ahead 7-0 on aggregate.
Last week, the defending Champions recorded a 1-0 away win in Bakau and completed the job in a spectacular manner in front of their home fans with four goals by Desire Oparanozie and a brace by Asisat Oshoala.
Meanwhile, Nigeria shot into the lead as early as the second minute of play when Oparanozie blast home from the spot after Francisca Ordega was fouled in the box by Nenneh Jallow. African Women Footballer of the Year, Oshoala Assisat added the second goal almost at the end of the first stanza off a well-laid pass from Ngozi Okobi.
At the restart, Oparanozie continued her spree with two more goals in the 48th and 62nd minute while Oshoala completed her brace of the evening in the 74th minute. But it was Oparanozie that had the final word with her fourth goal of the evening in the 84th minute to seal Super Falcons’ 11th successive qualification for the biennial event.
Only Nigeria and Cameroon have contested for every edition since the championship was inaugurated in 1991 but Nigeria are the most successful having won a record 10 titles including the last edition hosted by Cameroon.
In the meantime, Equatorial Guinea who had won the other two continental honours have also qualified along with Cameroon, Mali, South Africa, Zambia and Algeria for the 2018 AWCON to be held later this year.
